Thanksgiving Thoughts.
First, why is that Facebook thinks you want them to group all posts regarding Thanksgiving together and then only show you one. Click to see more. Holiday wishes from your best friends get buried in the mire of thanksgiving bullshit being spewn out by retailers lucky enough to have had you "like" them.
Why do retailers think its OK to take advantage of all the poor. Literally. You want to be able to buy that precious doll for your baby girl? Hmmm? Then get off your ass, ditch the Turkey dinner with the family and come wait on line, freeze your ass off and bring cash and maybe, just maybe you'll get one of the 3 we have in stock. Oops! Too late, but they've got another doll. Sure it costs more and isn't the one she wants. But you're already there, already sucked in. It's wrong on so many levels it disgusts me.
And don't get me started on the poor schmoes who have to work on Black Friday which technically now begins on Crimson Thursday. Why Crimson you ask? Because that's the color they see when they realize they don't get to stay at Aunt Martha's for pumpkin pie and enjoy the holiday. They don't get to celebrate the one true holiday that isn't about religion or politics or war. Or Greeting Cards. The one day out of the year when everyone gets to stop and think about what they are grateful for. And now they have one less thing to be grateful for. For many, they've lost their jobs. Lost their homes. Lost their ability to choose whether or not they can celebrate at home or at a relative's or a friends. Or worse, they can't even volunteer to serve at the free Thanksgiving dinner for the veterans... the homeless... the hospice... because they themselves now have to work for the retail giant that so generously gave them a part time seasonal job in the gift wrap department.
Shame on them all. Stay home everyone. Just stay the hell out of any major retail chain tempting you to spend what little resources you have left on things you don't need made by people you don't know. On gifts for family and friends that they too, don't need. The idea that consumer spending on holiday shopping is going to save our economy is crap. It's bullshit. We need to put ourselves back to work. That is the only path back.
My friend Beth had a wonderful idea this year. Give your family and friends a gift that helps us all. Know someone who fixes computers? And someone who needs one fixed? Give the services of the techie to the techless. Have a friend who provides cleaning services or odd jobs? Have someone on your list who could use some help? Have a teenager looking for work? A neighbor who could use some snow shoveling this winter? Giving the gift of services helps those who need work, and those who need it done. And keeps our cash where it belongs. In our community. In our neighborhoods.
Can't help yourself? Are you a compulsive buyer? Great. Buy local. Buy American. Buy crafts and art and music. Give memberships. To museums and symphonies and clubs. Buy food. Everyone loves food. And they all need it. I found this wonderful nut shop in New Jersey with a website. I can buy dried fruits and nuts and wonderful goodies. Make special baskets and goodie bags to give away. Each one different. The business has been around for 80 some-odd years. Family-owned. My gifts will keep them in business, keep their employees working, keep my friends and family fed. All good.
Consider it a first step in reviving our economy. You have the power to put people back to work and to keep them working. Yup. You. Have. The. Power.
So get out your checkbook. Stop shopping and start hiring. And give Thanks in a whole new way this year.
Why do retailers think its OK to take advantage of all the poor. Literally. You want to be able to buy that precious doll for your baby girl? Hmmm? Then get off your ass, ditch the Turkey dinner with the family and come wait on line, freeze your ass off and bring cash and maybe, just maybe you'll get one of the 3 we have in stock. Oops! Too late, but they've got another doll. Sure it costs more and isn't the one she wants. But you're already there, already sucked in. It's wrong on so many levels it disgusts me.
And don't get me started on the poor schmoes who have to work on Black Friday which technically now begins on Crimson Thursday. Why Crimson you ask? Because that's the color they see when they realize they don't get to stay at Aunt Martha's for pumpkin pie and enjoy the holiday. They don't get to celebrate the one true holiday that isn't about religion or politics or war. Or Greeting Cards. The one day out of the year when everyone gets to stop and think about what they are grateful for. And now they have one less thing to be grateful for. For many, they've lost their jobs. Lost their homes. Lost their ability to choose whether or not they can celebrate at home or at a relative's or a friends. Or worse, they can't even volunteer to serve at the free Thanksgiving dinner for the veterans... the homeless... the hospice... because they themselves now have to work for the retail giant that so generously gave them a part time seasonal job in the gift wrap department.
Shame on them all. Stay home everyone. Just stay the hell out of any major retail chain tempting you to spend what little resources you have left on things you don't need made by people you don't know. On gifts for family and friends that they too, don't need. The idea that consumer spending on holiday shopping is going to save our economy is crap. It's bullshit. We need to put ourselves back to work. That is the only path back.
My friend Beth had a wonderful idea this year. Give your family and friends a gift that helps us all. Know someone who fixes computers? And someone who needs one fixed? Give the services of the techie to the techless. Have a friend who provides cleaning services or odd jobs? Have someone on your list who could use some help? Have a teenager looking for work? A neighbor who could use some snow shoveling this winter? Giving the gift of services helps those who need work, and those who need it done. And keeps our cash where it belongs. In our community. In our neighborhoods.
Can't help yourself? Are you a compulsive buyer? Great. Buy local. Buy American. Buy crafts and art and music. Give memberships. To museums and symphonies and clubs. Buy food. Everyone loves food. And they all need it. I found this wonderful nut shop in New Jersey with a website. I can buy dried fruits and nuts and wonderful goodies. Make special baskets and goodie bags to give away. Each one different. The business has been around for 80 some-odd years. Family-owned. My gifts will keep them in business, keep their employees working, keep my friends and family fed. All good.
Consider it a first step in reviving our economy. You have the power to put people back to work and to keep them working. Yup. You. Have. The. Power.
So get out your checkbook. Stop shopping and start hiring. And give Thanks in a whole new way this year.
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